Lawrence is an athletic defensive tackle in the mold of Vince Wilfork who can not only play right away Stephen Gostkowski Jerseys Stitched , but also succeed Lawrence Guy as the main DT on the team."WhitePatriots News Opinion and Analysis Contribute! FanPostsFanShotsAbout the Site List of Patriots Twitter AccountsWrite For Pats Pulpit!New User Welcome and Commenting GuideCommunity GuidelinesMastheadTopics Patriots Off-Season CoveragePatriots Opinion/AnalysisPatriots NewsPatriots Draft CoverageSportfolio ManagementTop 10 Patriots Draft Fits #4: Clemson DT Dexter LawrenceNew,56commentsLawrence is an athletic defensive tackle in the mold of Vince Wilfork who can not only play right away, but also succeed Lawrence Guy as the main DT on the team.EDTShareTweetShareShareTop 10 Patriots Draft Fits #4: Clemson DT Dexter LawrenceThomas J. Russo-USA TODAY SportsThe Patriots are mostly set with the DT position as they’ve got 3 solid rotational players in Lawrence Guy, Mike Pennel, and Adam Butler. Guy and Pennel are more early down run stuffers with moderate pass rush upside whereas Butler is better at pushing the pocket than anchoring against the run. This year’s draft has a handful of solid DT prospects the Patriots should have a chance on, with only Quinnen Williams, Ed Oliver, Christian Wilkins, and Jerry Tillery likely being off the board before the Patriots pick at 32. One player that was once considered a Top 10 prospect before the previous college season that could be available is Wilkins’ Clemson teammate in Dexter Lawrence.Combine DataHeight: 6’4”Weight: 342Arm: 34 3/4” 40: 5.05StrengthsCan play almost any interior DL position1 and 2-gap versatilityFreak athleteStrong anchor vs. runVirtually unblockable in 1-on-1 situationsDisruptive rusher by collapsing the pocket WeaknessesHas out-athleted every one to this point, technique will need workMore of a disruptor than playmakerGets a bit lazy at timesReasons Why the Patriots Will Draft HimPatriots haven’t had an athlete on their DL like this since taking Vince Wilfork 21st overall in the 2004 draft. Lawrence profiles very similar to Big Vince, who fell out of the top 10 and right into the Patriots laps that year. Lawrence being more of a disruptor than playmaker may allow for some teams to pass on him (their mistake) and the Patriots to target Lawrence in the early to mid 20s as a potential trade up target. Even if Lawrence isn’t going to make enough plays to be a defensive player of the year candidate, his skill set strongly profiles for what the Patriots want in their interior defensive linemen. Reasons Why the Patriots Will Not Draft HimSimply not being available is the biggest reason I can think of. If Lawrence is available when the Patriots are on the board, I think they pull the trigger on him regardless of other needs. Another thing to note is also the Patriots don’t necessarily have to prioritize a DT in the first round either given the team is 3-deep at the position although an injury makes the position rather thin as well. Lawrence also was barred from college postseason play in 2018 after testing positive for ostarine, a known PED http://www.patriotslockerroom.com/authentic-jeremy-hill-jersey , although he denies knowingly taking the substance. Who He Needs to Beat Out: Frank Herron, David Parry, Keionta DavisThere isn’t much competition for Lawrence if we’re talking about the 4th DT in the rotation behind Guy, Pennel, and Butler. Lawrence would already be the most talented player in the room.Rookie Year ProjectionLawrence would be able to play right away as a major factor in the Patriots DT rotation. Lawrence should also be leaning on Guy and Pennel as two players who were late round picks that had to fight for every opportunity they got and ultimately cashing in with New England. Lawrence should see roughly 30-40% snaps as a rookie barring injuries. Long Term ProjectionLawrence will eventually work his way to being the top DT in the rotation by the end of Year 2, which is when Guy, Pennel, and Butler are all about to hit free agency. His size and strength would make him a tough guy to double up and beat in the run game. Grade: 5/5 Day 1 StarterRound: 1st The veteran coach is still enjoying the process."When Dante Scarnecchia entered the NFL for the first time, Joe Montana was the reigning Super Bowl MVP and the Colts were still playing in Baltimore. The year was 1982, and with the exception of a de facto two-year sabbatical from 2014 to 2015, Scarnecchia has been around ever since. And the vast majority of his time in the NFL was spent with one team: the New England Patriots, for whom he coached in 33 of his 35 seasons in the league.Entering year number 36 and the fourth since returning from his short-lived retirement, Scarnecchia still appears to be going strong. When listening to him speak about his craft and the challenges that await both himself and his players, one gets the impression that the 71-year-old still thoroughly enjoys what he does — and that his enthusiasm to go through the grind yet again has not changed throughout the years.“Good. Yeah Youth Matthew Slater Jerseys , good,” the soft-spoken Scarnecchia said ahead of the Patriots’ organized team activities when asked about his feelings regarding his return for another year with the Patriots. A teacher at heart — he holds a master’s degree in physical education from U.S. International — Scarnecchia seems particularly thrilled about the outlook of getting some new and young players up to speed through the team’s offseason program.“I love it, I really do,” said Scarnecchia before adding that the process differs fundamentally when working with rookies compared to experienced players who have been around the Patriots or at least in the NFL before. “It’s like night and day [but] the thing about it is, they’re all willing, they all want to do well. I really like it. I like teaching the game and these guys are responsive, and that’s all you can ask.”Scarnecchia has an intriguing mix of veterans and rookies to work with this season, and he certainly seems to embrace the competition that this creates. “I love it, I really do. I think it’s great,” he said. And even though four of the five starting spots are locked up — all except left tackle; a vacancy that is ultimately expected to be filled by 2018 first-round draft pick Isaiah Wynn — there will be plenty of position battles moving forward in regards to backup roster and practice squad spots.“What’s most important is that we give everybody a chance to make the team; that we coach everybody; that we demand the same of the guys that have been here and the guys that just got here,” Scarnecchia continued when speaking about the competition that will take place along the offensive line over the course of the summer. “There’s no sacred cows. We got a lot of things that we need to get better at, a lot of things that we need to improve upon, and I like that. I like that challenge.”One of the biggest challenges for the most experienced assistant coach on New England’s staff this offseason will be to find a capable trio of offensive tackles. “We only go into the game with seven guys, so we need three tackles. All that will manifest itself going forward Matthew Slater Jerseys Stitched ,” said Scarnecchia. “Other than Marcus [Cannon], we don’t know who the other two will be [but] we’ll have three when we go there.”Cannon is the starter at right tackle, with Wynn the favorite to earn the starting spot on the opposite side of him — depending on the second-year man’s recovery from a torn Achilles tendon, of course. The backup swing tackle, meanwhile, will likely be third-round rookie Yodny Cajuste, who himself is currently rehabbing form a quad injury that required surgery and forced the West Virginia product to sit out the scouting combine.The picture, as Scarnecchia said, will become clearer over the next few weeks and months. One thing is certain, however: the Patriots will once again field one of the NFL’s premier offensive lines, in large parts because of the coach working with it. And heading into his 36th year in the NFL, that coach seems to be as ready and motivated as he has ever been.